This Whisky Is Inspired by a Rock Song… And There’s a Story Behind It (Whisky Names Explained)

Whisky and music are a perfect match. Turntable Spirits proves it with whiskies that are quite literally inspired by music. In this Whisky Names Explained, we dive into Track 01: Joy.Discovery.Invention.

The Scottish whisky brand Turntable Spirits unveiled the first three whiskies of their new label a little while ago. Brothers Alasdair and Gordon Stevenson, the founders of Turntable, blend their love of music with their passion for whisky.

It’s the start of a full “album” of no fewer than six whiskies, or “tracks.” Turntable Spirits’ debut track is called Joy.Discovery.Invention. But where does that name actually come from?

The first track in the series bears a fitting name, given that Turntable Spirits is based in Scotland. The blend Joy.Discovery.Invention owes its name to a Scottish band. Scottish alternative rock band Biffy Clyro released their debut album Blackened Sky in 2002, with Joy.Discovery.Invention as the opening track.

The choice of band wasn’t accidental either. Alasdair Stevenson went to school with the members of Biffy Clyro. His first concert was theirs as well (he even still has the ticket). The Stevenson brothers chose the title of this specific song because it encapsulates exactly what they want to achieve with their whiskies. They take joy in what they do (Joy), they’re exploring a new category with their premium blended whisky (Discovery), and they’re doing it in a bold, distinctive way (Invention).

Even if the song or the band doesn’t ring a bell for everyone, Biffy Clyro has a strong connection with the Turntable Blending House. They’ve also played in the Netherlands numerous times, appearing at festivals like Pukkelpop, Lowlands, and Waterpop. In addition, Biffy Clyro opened for Muse in 2009 and 2013, and for Queens of the Stone Age in 2008.

A fun tidbit: in the band’s home country, Biffy Clyro’s Joy.Discovery.Invention reached number 46 on the charts. As luck would have it, that’s exactly the ABV at which the namesake blend is bottled.

Turntable Blending House doesn’t just pair music with great whisky. As an independent bottler, they also offer full transparency about what goes into their spirits, so you know exactly what you’re getting in your glass. For Joy.Discovery.Invention, that means the following:

Turntable Track.01: Joy.Discovery.Invention is the first of six limited releases. Track.02: Firestarter and Track.03: Purple Haze are also out, as wel as a couple of other blended whiskies to discover.